Photo by Erin Sanchez St. Clair Shores South Lake’s Adam Calcaterra warms up during the Jan. 23 Macomb County Team and Singles Championships at Sunnybrook Lanes. The Cavaliers’ boys team ended up as quarterfinalists in the event.

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

STERLING HEIGHTS — Several new bowling champions were crowned at this year’s annual Macomb County Team and Singles Championships Jan. 23 at Sunnybrook Lanes in Sterling Heights.

Combinations of skill and luck saw four different finalists in the girls and boys team competitions from last year, as well as new individual winners.

“In our sport, anybody can be the favorite, because there’s as much luck involved as there is skill sometimes,” Utica Stevenson coach and tournament host Tom Stockton said. “You have to be good and lucky.”

Utica Eisenhower won the boys team competition, while Fair Haven Anchor Bay took the girls team title.

“It feels great. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever felt bowling,” said Ike senior Kyle Turri.
The young Eagles squad, which has struggled at times this season leading up the county tournament, surged from the 12th (of 16) seed to take the title, winning in the championship round by 89 pins.

“I’m really proud of the boys for bowling the way we did,” Ike boys coach Mike Pollak said.

Ike’s girls finished in second place, while Armada High took second on the boys side. Macomb L’Anse Creuse North’s boys and Clinton Township Chippewa Valley’s girls each took third.

“We’ve been in the final eight in every tournament we bowled in, and this is the first time we’ve been in the final four,” LCN coach Bob Ybarra noted. “We’re making progress. We’re young — we’ve only got one senior on the team. We’re making strides and raising our game at the right time, I think.

“I told them if they keep working, the prize is at the end of the tunnel.”

Warren De La Salle and Warren Regina rounded out the four finalists in the boys and girls competitions, respectively.

“Everybody has a dream that they can win this, and they’re showing how good they really are,” Stockton said of the finalists during the end of the competition.

Utica senior Brent Pawlicki won the boys individual title, while Regina junior Courtney Shadik finished first on the girls side.

Pawlicki finished second, three pins behind teammate Jeff Kulin, last year. This year, he led an impressive individual showing by the Chieftains’ boys squad, rolling a 730 three-game score to take the title. Teammates Max Geisendorfer (fifth place), Nick Zambelli (tied for seventh) and Kulin (11th) followed closely behind.

“It was good, because a bunch of the team finished in the top,” Pawlicki said. “It was good to actually win this year. It was all right to come in second last year, because it was to a teammate. As long as one of my teammates win, I’m happy.”

Rounding out the top 10 boys finishers are Tom Burke, St. Clair Shores South Lake, second place; Jonathan Kovalcik, Richmond High, third; Joe Polizzi, L’Anse Creuse North, fourth; Shawn Bibee, Anchor Bay, sixth; Alec Shipman, Romeo High, tied for seventh; Jonathan Murphy, Warren Cousino, ninth; and Ryan Driscoll, L’Anse Creuse North, 10th.
Shadik, a St. Clair Shores resident, bowled a 682 to take the girls title, somewhat surprising herself.

“I wanted to win, but I wasn’t really expecting to do that great,” she said. “It’s awesome, really awesome.”

L’Anse Creuse North’s Heather Krueger took second place in the girls individual competition. The rest of the top 10 finishers are Lorina Accetta, Eisenhower, third; Hanna McClintock, Anchor Bay, fourth; Rachel Young, Chippewa Valley, fifth;  Kristin Miller, Roseville High, sixth; defending champion Chelsea Essenmacher, Richmond, seventh; Paige Holeton, L’Anse Creuse North, eighth; Christina Krass, Regina, ninth; and Kelsey Fader, Anchor Bay, 10th.

For more photos and a video report from the county tournament, visit our Web site at www.candgnews.com. For complete tourney results, check out www.mhsibca.com.

You can reach Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1040.